Mechanism and method for cutting, associating, and folding sheets



H. D. BELL July 9, 1929.

ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING sriEETs Filed April 13, 1927 MECHANISM ANDMETHOD FOR CUTTING 6 Sh'eets-Sheet INVENTOR.

July 9, 1929. H. D. BELL 1,720,529

MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR CUTTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING SHEETS FiledApril 13, 1927 6 Sh8t$-$h98t 2 '1 I i 1 ENTOR.

. Wm! fill/1 ATTORN H. D. BELL [Jul 9, 1929.

MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR CUTTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING SHEETS FiledApril 13, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet ATT YS July 9, 1929. H. D. BELL 5MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR CUTTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING SHEETS FiledApril 13, 1927 e SheetsSheet 4 mum IN V EN TOR.

\ AT RNEYS.

,July 9, 1929. Y BELL 7 1,720,529

MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR CUTTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING SHEETS FiledApril 1-3, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 'INVENTOR.

I I ATTON.

July 9, 1929. H. D. BELL 1,720, 2

MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR CUTTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING SHEETS FiledApril 13, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VEN TOR.

Patented July 9, 1929.

tlhll'l'El) STATES HARVEY D. BELL, F FOREST HILLS, NEWYORK.

Application filed. April 13,

The invention relates to new and useful in'iprovements in sheet cutting,associating and folding mechanism and more particularly to suchmechanism as applied to fast rotary web printing presses, although theinvention has other applications in web and sheet handling: machines.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the instrumentalitics and combinations pointed out in theappended claimsu The invention consists in the novel. parts, constructims, arrangen'ients, combinations and improvements herein shown anddescribed.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate one eu'ibodiment of the invention, and together withthe description. serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly diagrammatic and with certain oldparts omitted, illustrating one embodin'ient of the invention Fi f2 avertical transverse sect-ion taken through the central part of Fig. 1;

Fig 3 is a partly diagrammatic elevation of the niecl'ianism of Fig. 2showin, 1' the actuating: and timing mechanism for the impaling pins;

4- is a fragmentary elevation of the end of one of the folding cylinoersof Figs. 3 and Figs. 5 to are diagrams showing; various ages of onemanner of operating the ma- 1 lira. vation roller.

This

'1 l die. ,{El21]']j]lll21fl(. fragmentary eleshowing an auxiliary sheetcontrol.

a plurality of running longi- 1927. Serial No. 183,280.

tudinally folded webs are cut into sheets by a plurality of cuttingmechanisms, the sheets then being associated and usually collected also,and thereafter folded as an entirety, and thereby the capacity of aprinting press, or other web-using machine is greatly increased.

Furthermore, the mechanism is capacitat-ed to deliver a large variety oflesser products, and to provide different arrangements or associationsof the parts of the product wit-h a n'iinimum amount-of elfort orpreparation and of arrangement of the mechanism. For example, if coloredwebs, or a part web, is run. it may be associated and interfolded in anuu'iber of differentways not possible with the usual and knownmechanisms.

One of the particular features of my invention is the provision ofmechanism for cutting the webs into sheets in sub-n'iultiples of thefinal product non-simultaneously, the fractional cuttings, distributingand minimixing the shock and strain of cutting. Subsequent associationof larger groups of sheets than could be out at one time is thuspossible, this combined sheet group being all folded off together. 7

In connection with this feature of the invention, improvements are madein the cross folder, especially in the folding-off rollers whichcooperate with the folding blade so as to pern'iit the passing of thelead end of an extremely thiclt group of associated sheets, and thesuccessive folding; oil of this group at very high speed without chokingor misfolding,and also providing a smooth and clean leaving action forthe folding blade after the folding rollers have gripped the product.

In the exemplary and present preferred embodiment, broadly defined, twoformers are employed, which usually receive the respective halves of aslit web, or any number of running webs associated at the head of theformer in the usual manner. Angle bars may likewise be employed if sodesired, but usu ally will not be necessary.

The associated and longitudinallyfolded running webs are led from one ofthe formers to a cross-folding cylinder, which is provided with cuttingmeans. In operative relation with the cross-folding cylinder is acylinder which cooperates to cut off the sheets, and it may be usedoptionally to collect one group of sheets, which are then associatedwith the next group of cut-off sheets upon the cross folding cylinder.

The associated and longitudinally folded running webs from the otherformer go primarily to a cutting and transfer cylinder, and cooperatingwith this transfer cylinder is another cutting cylinder, which also maybe used optionally as a collecting cylinder. When so used the firstgroup of sheets cut from the running webs by these cylinders iscollected upon the collecting cylinder, and is then associated with asecond cut-off group of sheets upon the transfer cylinder. The sheetsfrom the transfer cylinder, whether collected or not, are transferredand associated with, the sheets upon the cross-folding cylinder (whichmay have been collected or not as already described).

The entire group of sheetsis then folded off from the cross-foldingcylinder in the usual manner, except that provisions are made forhandling the very large product which this mechanism renders possible.For this purpose, the forward or right-hand folding-off roller 1slowered as a new lead end of the associated sheets comes by to permitclearance for the lead or head end of the sheets and for the impalingpins. The folding rollers are also longitudinally grooved so as to havea clinching or gripping action upon the fold as the sheets are thrustbetween them by the folding blades.

My invention provides, as stated, for timing the sheet-cuttingoperations non-concurhis rently and this is effected in the illustratedembodiment by placing the two cylinders effecting the cuts of therespective webs in different angular relations, that is, the planepassing through the shafts of one of the pairs of cylinders isnon-parallel to the similar plane of the other pair of cylinders.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description, and thefollowing de-' tailed description as well, are explanatory and exemplaryof the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in cetail to the embodiment of the invention illustratedby way of example inthe accompanying drawings, the invention isconsidered applied to a fast rotary printing press having a plurality ofperfecting units, the full-width, perfected Webs from the various unitsbeing brought together at the rollers at the head of the two formers, Iwhich latter are fragmenlarily shown in Fig. 1. Slitting means for thewebs are provided, andrnay be located at and between the formers in awell-known manner. Former 1 has the usual forming rolls 2 and 3 andguide rolls at and 5, the running half web being associated I andlongitudinally folded at this point. They pass thence about thegrippingand alining roller 6 which may be of the usual form. Foreffecting register or alinemcnt of the web leads and sheets, as shown,shaft 7 of this roller is mounted in arms 8 and 9, which are pivotedupon a shaft 10 carried on the press frame. The screwthreaded adjustment11 is n'ovidcd whereby the position of the roller (3 may be varied toregister the web leads and sheet heads with the subsequently operatingmechanism.

The cross folding cylinder 25 may be of usual or other suitableconstrlurtion and is shown with its shaft journalcd M 2? in the sideframes of the press. The cylinder is shown provided with two foldingblades and 29, n'iountcd dian'ictrically opposi to on the cylinder in awell-known nmnncr. 'lhc operating mechanism for the folding blades isnot shown, and may be of the standard llusby type used on the (lossprint ing press.

The folding cylinder as embodied, is provided with two sets of impalingpins, one set 31 bei he shaf 3 projects through the cylindcr end, andprovided with a tluatmg and illlilllg' means, comprising an arm 34 fixedto the shaft 33, and provided with a cam-roller 35, running in thegroove cam 36. jourualcd loosely on the cylinder shaft 26. The timingdevice comprises an arm 39, fixed to the hub 16 of the cam 36. This arm39 provided at its outer end with an a 'cuntc slot 51-]. through whichprojects a clamping bolt 12 which is screw-threaded into the machineframe, to hold the can: in proper timing posi- (ion.

The other set of impaling pins 4.) is of similar ((EHSLIHClZlOR, beingmounted upon a series of arms 50. fixed to a shaft 5i. journaleddiamctr'callv opposite in the folding cylinder. The end of this shaftlikewise pro-- jects from the ordinder end, and fixed to the sh t is anarm carrying a cam-roller 53. which also runs in the grooved actuatingand timing cam 36. i

The grooved cutting blocks a oppositely mounted in the fol din cylinderin the proper contiguous relations o the impaling pins, and theircooperating cutting blades.

The cutting cylinder 69, which cooperates with the folding cylinder, hasits shaft Tl) mounted. in bearings 71 in the press frame. This cylinderis provided with a cutting blade 72, which cooperates successively with(be cuttin rooves 57 and 58 in the cross-folding cylind each revolutionof the folding cylinder, the cutting cylinder making two revolutions forone of the folding cylinder. The optionally utilized collecting meanscomprises a set of imp-sling pins rcciprocablc in holes in the and arecollecting cylinder contiguous with the cutting blade 72. Theseilnpaling pins are preferably mounted on a corresponding series of arms76, fixed on a shaft 77, ournalcd in the ends of the cutting cylinder.

The actuating means comprises an arn'i Y8, fixed to the end of the shaft77, which projccts from the head of the cylinder 69. This arm isprovided with. a ca1n-roller 79, ruunine; in the groove cam 80, which ismounted on the shaft of the cylinder 69, and may be provided with timingmeans of any suitable kind, as for instance, like that already describedfor the impaling pins of the crossfoldiep; cylinder. When the cylinderis not. used for collecting, the impaling pins are retracted andsilenced in any suitable manner, as for instance by sliding" the arm 78along the shaft 77 and thereby moving the cant roller 79 out of the cam80.

lefcrring now to the other series of webs, the associated half webs rundown and are lrmc'itudinally folded by, the former 100, forming rolls101 and 102, and guiding: rollers 103 and 10% cooperating therewith inthe usual manner. A guiding and registering roller 106 is provided forthese webs, which may be similar or the same as the roller 6. The shaft107 of this roller mounted in arms 108, pivoted at 109 upon the machineframe, and furnished with a screw-thread adjustment similar to screwthread adjustment 11, whereby the roller 100 may be raised and lowered,as may be necessary to register the lead end of the shoe with those fromthe other i'i'iechanism.

The transfer cylinder 121 has its shaft 122 mounted in journal bearings123 in the machine frame. These journal bearings are preferably providedwith means for positioning the transfer cylinder toward and away fromthe cross-folding cylinder for products of different ClllClHlQF In theeml'iedied form of means, the journal bores 124.: are slidably mountedin {nudes upon the machine frame. and are provided with screwthreadedadjusting: means 120.

The transfer cylindeii' 121 is provided with grooved cutting blocks and130 diametrically opposite each other. Adjacent to and cooperating withthe cutting block 135 is a series of impalinp; pins 13?, which are fixedupon corresponding owns 135%, which are fixed to a shaft 180. ourna ledin the heads of the transfer cylinder 121, These pins a re in positionrelatively to the cutt-in block 135 so as to talre the h ads or lead ofthe cut-off webs. The actuating mechanism therefor comprises an arm14:0, fixed to the end of the Shift 139, exteriorly to the cylinder, thearm carrying; a cam-roll 1 11, which runs in a groove can't 2, looselymounted upon the shaft of cylinder.

'iue other set of impalino; pins 14-0, cooperates in like manner withthe cutting groove 136. These pins are fixed to a corresponding seriesof arms 150, fixed to a shaft 151, journaled in the heads of thecylinder. -An actuating arm 155 is fixed to the external end of theshaft 151 and is provided with a camroller 156, running in the groovecam 1412.

The timing means in this mechanism comprises an arm 159, fixed to thehub 160 of the groove cam 1 1-2. lhis arm 159 is provided at its outerend with an arcuate slot 101, through which passes a clamping screw 162,screw-threaded into the end of an arm 163., fixed to and extendingoutwardly from the journal box 12 1. This construction permits of theadjustment or positioning of the transfer cylinder 121 relatively to thecross folding cylinder without disturbing the operating and timing;relation of the cam 1512-.

Copperating with the transfer cylinder is a cutting cylinder 169, whichhas its shaft 17 0 journaled at 171, in the side frames of the press.This cylinder is provided with a cutting knife 172, which cooperatessuccessively with the cutting groove blocks 135 and 136. The cutting};cylinder makes two row olutions to one of the transfer cylinder, and thetransfer cylinder and the cross-folding cylinder make revolution forrevolution.

he optionally used collecting means comprises a set of impaling pins173, reciprocably mounted in the cutting cylinder, adjacent to the knife172 to take the web leads. These pins are pivotally connected tocorresponding series of arms 176, which are fixed to a shaft 177,journaled in the heads of the collecting cylinder. Fixed to theprojecting, external end of shaft 177 is an actuating arm 178, providedwith a cam-roller 110, which runs in a cam groove 1550. Cam 180 isloosely mounted upon the cylinder shaft 177 and is held and timed by anysuitable mechanism, such as that previously described for the othereylinde lVhen this cylinder does not c llect the impaling pins may beretracted and silenced in any suitable manner, as by slip 'iingdhe arm178 along shaft 117., and thereby removing the cam-roller 179 from thecam 180.

For the purpose of causing the cuts made by the two pairs of cylindersto be made nonconciu'rently, cylinder 109 placed in a different angularrelation to the transfer cylinder 121 than that of cutting cylinder tothe cross-folding cylinder 25, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 2.

JLlluS the cuts in one web are made between the cuts in the other webwithout disturbing the timed relation of the webs and sheets.

Referring now to the foldingofl' mechanism, the folding blades 28 and 29cooperate with foldinggyolf rollers 199 and 200. These rollers are notperfectly cylindrical but are longitudiimlly re ed, or broadly grooved,as show best in inn; 2 at the contiguous parts of the rollers, therollers being shown respectively and longitudinally-disposed depressedparts 201 and 202 so timed as to be opposite each other when the foldingblade, as shown at 29, is making the fold. This permits the free entrybetween the rollers of a very large group of associated sheets, therollers then have a clinching or clamping action in addition to theirrotary forwarding movement, and thereby firmly grasp and hold thecross-folded sheets without slippage.

The head roller 199 is also-mounted to move toward or away from thecross-folding cylinder 25, so as to give clearance for the head of theon coming group of sheets and for the impaling pins, and also to providea smooth leaving action for the folding blade. As embodied, the shaft orpintles 207 of this roller are mounted in arms 208, which are preferablypivoted at 210 concentrically with the shaft 212 of the roller 200.

V hile the mechanism can be run in a variety of ways to provide avariety of products, the operation o-fthe machine when collecting uponboth of the cuttin cylinders so as to give a maximum product isexemplarily shown in Figs. 5 to 10. It will be understood, however, thatone half of the mechanism and the webs on one side could be run withoutthose on the other side, or either of the cutting cylinders could beused to collect, or neither or both, as desired.

In the illustrated exemplary manner of running the machine (shown inFigs. 5 to 10) in 5 both cutting cylinders 69 and 169 are shown takingthe leads of the two web's, or slit half webs, which the impaling pinson the cylinders have secured, just as a previous out had been made. Theprevious sheets are omitted from all these figures for the sake ofclearness. In Fig. 6 the leads of both the associated and longitudinallyinter-folded webs are shown collected upon the corresponding cuttingcylinders 69 and 169, and in Fig. 7 the sheets collected upon these twocylinders are being severed from the respective webs, and new web leadsthus formed are taken, respectively, by the impaling pins upon thecross-folding cylinder 25 and the transfer cylinder 121.

In Fig. 8 the association of the sheets on the transfer cylinder 121with the collected sheets previously on'the cross-folding cylinder 25 isshown, the impaling pins of the transfer cylinder 121 being retractedand the sheet heads being taken upon the impaling pins of thecross-folding-cylinder 25. To facilitate this transfer action, theimpaling pins upon the cutting and collecting cylinder 69 and upon thetransfer cylinder 121 are in register with each other, and the impalingpins upon the cutting and collecting cylinder 169 and the cross-foldingcylinder 25 are in register with each other. Thus during the transfer ofthe sheets, the impaling pins of the cylinder 121 momentarily pass intothe holes made in the sheet heads by the im palin g pins on the cylinder69 and hold the sheets, and the impaling pins of the cylinder 25 enterthe holes made in the sheet heads by the impaling pins of the cylinder169, which. effects an easy, certain and accurate transfer andassociation of all the sheets without unnecessary puncturing of thesheets.

In Fig. 9 the head of all of the associated sheets is shown passing thefolding-off rollers 199 and 200, the roller 199 being lowered to permitclearance as already described and in Fig. 10 the final folding off ofthe entire group of associated sheets is shown.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown the beginning of the next operation upon theweb leads, similar to the showing in Figs. 5 and 6.

The capacity to relatively position the folding and transfer cylinderscloser together or farther apart is very useful in connection withhandling groups of sheets of different thicknesses. This capacity isalso useful in controlling the sheet group during the handling thereofby the two cylinders and particularly just prior to and at the foldingoil of the group of sheets. ith many kinds of work this control will befound entirely adequate, including the control of the tail end of thesheet group just prior to and while folding off. In accordance with onefeature of the invention, however, additional means may be providedcooperating to control the handling of the sheet group upon the foldingcylinder. As embodied and at present preferred, a pressure roller 225cooperates with the folding cylinder preferably quite close to thecommon point of the folding cylinder and transfer cylinder, as shown inFig. 11. This roller is made positionable to and from the foldingcylinder, and for this purpose, the roller shaft 226 is mounted inbearings 227, carried on supports 228. These supports are preferablylongitudinally slid able in support ing members 229 at either side ofthe press frame. To effect the positioning of the roller to and from thefolding cylinder, supporting rods 228 are screw-threaded, and areprovided with nuts 239 and 231, or with any other suitable positiondetermining means.

It will be clear from the foregoing that a mechanism has been providedrealizing the objects and advantages herein set forth. together withother objects and advantages; and that departures may be made from theexact constructions shown and described without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

What I claim is 1. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including incombination means for traveling webs by a plurality of paths from amachine operating thereon, devices for cutting a web into sheets in oneof said paths, devices for non-simultaneously cutting a web atcorresponding sections into sheets in another path, and means forinterfolding the sheets from both paths.

2. A sheet cutting and handling mecha nism including in combinationmeans for travelin webs by a plurality of paths from a machine operating thereon, devices for cutting a web into sheets in one of saidpaths, devices for noii-simultaneonsly cutting a web at correspondingsections into sheets in an other path, sheet collecting means locatedbetween one of the cutting devices and the interl olding means, andmeans for intertolding the sheets from both paths.

3. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination meansfor traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machine operatingthereon, devices for cutting a web into sheets in one of said paths,devices for non-simultaneously cutting a web at corresponding sectionsinto sheets in an- 0th r path, optionally operable sheet collectingmeans located between one of the cutting devices andthe inter-foldingmeans, and means for inter-folding the sheets from both paths.

l. A. sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationmeans for longitudinally folding a plurality of webs traveling bydiil'erent paths, devices for cutting a folded 'web at correspondingsections into sheets in one of said paths, devices fornon-sii'nultaneonsly cutting a folded web into sheets in another path,and means for interfolding the sheets from both paths.

5. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism. including in combinationmeans for longitudinally folding a plurality of webs t1favelingbydillerent paths, devices for cutting a folded web into sheets in one ofsaid paths, devices for non-simultaneously cutting a folded webatcorresponding sections into sheets in another path, means for collectingthe longitudinally folded sheets between one of the cutting devices andthe inter-folding means, and means for interiiolding the sheets fromboth paths.

6. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination meansfor traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machine operatingthereon, devices for cutting a web into sheets in one of said paths,devices for non-simultaneously cutting a Web at corresponding sectionsinto sheets in another path, means for associating successively outsheets in one of said paths and forward ing the associated sheets, andmeans for interlolding the sheets from both paths.

7. ll. sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination twoformers adapted to longitudinally fold the two halves of slit webs, across folding cylinder, and sheet cutting means for each half webbetween said formers, said sheet cuttin means operatingnon-simultaneously to cut tdie Webs at sections equi-distant from theirleading ends.

8. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination afolding cylinder, a collecting cylinderoptionally operable to collectsheets on the folding cylinder and a transfer cylinder optionallyoperable to supply sheets directly to the folding cylinder inassociation with the sheets thereon.

9. A. sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination afolding cylinder, a collecting cylinderoptionally operable to collectsheets on the lolding cylinder and means for supplying other sheets tothe folding cylinder including a transfer cylinder and a cooperatingoptionally operable collecting cylinder.

10. A. sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination afolding cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally operable to collectsheets on the folding cylinder, and means for supplying other sheets including a transfer cylinder tor supplying sheets directly to the foldingcylinder and a collecting cylinder optionally operable to supply sheetsto the transfer cylinder.

11. A. sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination twoformers adapted to longituilinally told two halves of a slit web, acrossdiolding cylinder, a cylinder cooperating with the folding cylinderto cut sheets from one half-web, other sheet cutting means for cuttingsheets from corresponding portions of the other haltuveb, and means forsupplying the sheets from said othersheet cutting means to the crossfolding cylinder to be tolded thereby.

152. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination twoformers adapted to longitudinally fold two halves of a slit web, a crosstolding cylinder, a cylinder cooperating with the folding cylinder tocut sheets ttrom one half-web, other sheet cutting means for cuttingsheets tro1ncorrespending portions of the other haliiweb, and means forsupplying the sheets from said other sheet cutting means intoassociation with the sheets on the cross tolding cylinder to beinter-folded together.

12-3. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationtwo side by side formers adapted to longitudinally :told two halves of aslit web a cross-toldii'ig cylinder, a cylinder cooperating with theilolding cylinder to cut sheets from one hall web, optionally operativesheet collecting means on said cooperating cylinder, other sheet cuttingmeans for cutting sheets from corresponding portions of the otherhalt-web, and means for supplying the sheets from said other sheetcutting means to the crosstolding cylinder to be folded thereby.

let. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination across-foldfolding blade, a pair of folding off rollers cooperating withthe folding blade, and

means permitting the forward folding off roller to be moved away fromthe cylinder to pass the head of a group of sheets on the cylinder.

16. A rotary folding mechanism including in combination a foldingcylinder having a folding blade, a pair of folding off rollerscooperating with the folding blade, and means permitting the forwardfolding off roller to be moved away from the cylinder in an arcconcentric with the other roller to pass the head of a group of sheetson the cylinder.

17. The method of producing a large crossfolded product from a pluralityof webs which comprises cutting one group of sheets from webs,nonsinn1ltaneously cutting another group of sheets from correspondingportions of other webs, associating said groups of sheets and foldlngthem off to gether.

18. The method of producing a large crossfolded product which comprisessevering sheets from corresponding portions of a plurality of websnon-simultaneously in sub-multiple groups, associating the sheet groupsso produced, and folding them off together.

19. The method of producing a large cross folded product which comprisesassociating the leading ends of a plurality of webs, nonsimultaneouslysevering each web to form sheets, and folding off said sheets together.

' 20. The method of producing a large cross folded'product whichcomprises non-simul taneously severing a plurality of webs atcorresponding sections to form sheets of equal length, associating saidsheets and folding them off together.

21. The method of producing a large cross folded product which comprisesnon-simultaneously severing corresponding sections from a plurality ofwebs to form sheets, associating each sheet so formed with thesucceeding leading portion of its respective web, nonsimultaneouslysevering said leading portions of the webs to form a plurality of groupsof associated sheets, associating said groups of sheets and folding themoff together.

22. The method of producing a large cross folded product which comprisesnon-simultaneously severing a plurality of webs at sections equi-distantfrom the leading ends of the webs, associating the sheets so formed andfolding them off together.

23. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationmeans for traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machineoperating thereon, means for joining the leading ends of the webs,devices for cutting a sheet from the leading end of one web and devicesfor non-simultaneously culting a sheet from the leading portion of a webin another path.

24. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationmeans for traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machineoperating thereon, means for joining the leading ends of the webs,devices for cutting a sheet from the leading end of one web and devicesfor non-shunltaneously cutting a sheet from the leading portion of a webin another path and means for interfolding the sheets from both paths.

25. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination twoformers adapted to longitudinally fold the two halves of slit webs, across folding cylinder, sheet cutting means for each half-web betweensaid formers adapted to non-simultaneously cut the webs at sect-ionsequidistant from their leading ends, and means for interfolding thesheets from each half-web.

26. The method of producing a large cross-folded product which comprisesjoining the leading ends of a plurality of webs on the periphery of arotating cylinder, non-simultaneously severing each web to form anassociated group of sheets of equal lengths, the time interval betweenthe severings of the respective webs comprising a relatively smallfraction of the angular travel of the cylinder, and folding oil thegroup of sheets together.

27. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationmeans for traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machineoperating thereon, a pair of cooperating cutting cylinders for cutting aweb into sheets in one of said paths, a pair of cooperative cuttingcylinders for cutting a web into sheets in another path, said respectivepairs of cooperating cutting cylinders being adapted to cut atrelatively slightly different times whereby the cutting of the sheets inthe different paths is non-simultaneous, and means for interfolding thesheets from both paths.

28. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combinationmeans for traveling webs by a plurality of paths from a machineoperating therefrom, a pair of cooperating cutting cylinders for cuttinga web into sheets in one of said paths, a pair of cooperating cuttingcylinders for cutting a web into sheets in another path, the an gularrelation between one pair of cutting cylinders being slightly differentfrom the corresponding angular relation of the other pair of cuttingcylinders, whereby the cutting of the sheets in one path occursnonsimultaneously with the cutting of the cor responding sheets in theother path.

29. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination afolding cylinder, at collecting cylinder optionally operable to collectsheets on the folding cylinder and a transfer cylinder optionallyoperable to supply sheets directly to the folding cylinder inassociation with the sheets thereon, and means for Varying the spacebetween the transfer and folding cylinders to accommodate products ofdifferent thicknesses.

30. A rotary folding mechanism including in combination a, foldingcylinder having a folding blade, a pair of folding-off rollerscooperating With the folding blade, the forward folding off roller beingpositionable farther from the cylinder than the other of said rollers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARVEY D. BELL.

